Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End (Prologue)
Stardust Crown; the only guild that consists of six members.
Though they are few in number, each member is high ranking inside the game [ Tarros ].
Only a few people have seen them, for they have never participated in in-game events, nor have they made any friends.
The start of this story takes place at the last hour of the Virtual Reality Game World [ Tarros ]. Everything must come to an end. And thus [ Tarros ] must end too.
[ System-wide announcement: Time until server shutdown: 1 hr 03 min ]
"It is coming to an end." The voice came from a middle-aged man named Caleb.
"Has it really been so long? I've been playing this so-called Virtual Reality Game for ten years. It has become such a part of myself and my life that I can't even imagine living without it."
Caleb was in a daze as he reminisced on all that had past, over the last ten years he has spent playing [ Tarros ].
Total darkness surrounded Caleb. All was pitch black; only Caleb, who was still in a daze, and six majestic chairs could be spotted. "I will treasure this moment before it comes to an end...." said Caleb. He then proceeded to sit in one of the majestic chairs. Each chair was carefully placed in a line. They were each meticulously created by a Legendary Craftsmen, from the design pattern to the materials used. Though, they are only pieces of furniture the craftsmen spent all his money in the creation of these symbols of unity and power.
"Treasure, never-ending quests, adventure… everything… " Tears started filling Caleb's eyes as he lowered his head and covered his face with his right hand.
"I really hoped I could play this game forever."
"It became *sob* my world. *sob* *sob*." Caleb cried in distress, his whole body shivering.
He sobbed. And sobbed, and sobbed for a long time.
*beep*
'00:15:43'
"15 minutes left, huh?"
He was somewhat surprised by the notification as he had cried the entire time.
He gently wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up from the chair. As he walked, he stumbled to the nearest wall. But he regained his stance and continued walking forward.
"It is time to take action!" Caleb declared with a dignified expression.
"View Item: Scroll of Eradication"
[ Name: Scroll of Eradication
Rank: SSS
Description:
Dropped by slaying The Fallen One, Shona.
Duration: Approximately 1825 days(5 years)
Range: Entire continent!
Requirements: Defeat Shona ]
During this moment, the atmosphere suddenly turned around. The man who was painfully crying and agonizing until recently is now …
"An overpowered item. BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Seriously?! 5 years! Since this will be the last time I'm playing this game, might as well use this. HAHAHAHA!"
….laughing like a psycho!
A sudden switch of attitude!
Eventually Stardust Crown had turned their dream of defeating the final boss of [Tarros], The Fallen One, Shona into reality through their combined power. And this item was one of the many rewards Stardust Crown received for their efforts.
"Well, I don't really know what will happen to the entire continent if I use this item. How much time is left before the shutdown?"
At the top-right corner of his view, he saw the remaining time.
[ System-wide announcement: Time until server shutdown: 0 hr, 10 min, 02 sec ]
"Hmm...Finally...."
"I think going outside will be best."
Before he left, he quickly turned his gaze around the room and looked at the six majestic chairs for one last time. And then he walked outside the room filled with a tremendous black aura that even light can not penetrate.
A, "Goodbye." echoed throughout the room as he left.
[ System-wide announcement: Time until server shutdown: 0 hr 0 min 30 sec ]
"30 seconds left. Okay, time to use this OP item. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Use [ Scroll of Eradication ]!"
As he declared his usage of the destructive item that will turn the whole continent upside down, the atmosphere around him changed dramatically.
The effects of scroll started slowly. At first, it was just the ground rumbling. Seconds later, it intensified to a quake; so strong that parts of Mt. Tsereve sheared off. In the distance, plains cracked and spewed forth flames from within the earth as mountains arose from the depths of the sea. The mountains themselves began to boil, and the sky was painted a crimson, so vivid it was as if the gods were bleeding.
[ System-wide announcement: The ultimate destructive item [ Scroll of Eradication ] has been used. ]
[ The Apocalypse has come. ]
[ System-wide announcement: Time until server shutdown: 0 hr 0 min 05 sec ]
"This is the ultimate end, and it is glorious," Caleb stated as he watched the unforgettable scene in front of him.
And then he opened his menu screen and selected the 'Logout' button. Seconds later, he was surrounded by thousands of light particles as he disappeared without a trace.
As he opened his eyes, what appeared before Caleb was not what he expected.
"What is this?" Caleb asked himself.
All he could see was darkness, in contrast to his room that was usually decorated with various kinds of lights.
Restless, Caleb tried to lift up his head to scan the area. "What the heck?! I can't even move my head!" Caleb panicked.
He also tried moving his hands, feet, and his whole body. Sadly, he couldn't. "What's happening?! Where am I!?" Caleb cried in desperation.
"Somebody, help me!" He shouted as he tried calling for help, hoping that someone could hear his deafening cry.
Caleb cried in desperation. No matter how much he tried, his efforts were all deemed useless.
"Graaaahhhhhh!!!"
Without any warning, a wave of pain traveled through Caleb's body, causing him to scream hoarsely. He felt as if he was being crushed by thousands of large boulders while being simultaneously stabbed by millions of spears. He was experiencing such terrible pain.
Caleb tightly gripped his hands and sweat poured down on his body, and his face abruptly twisted because of pain.
"Wargggrruuhhh!" Caleb loudly roared, desperately enduring the pain. But no matter how hard he tried, he can't resist the force at all. Beads of sweat rolled down from his forehead. The sweat entered his left eye, and he couldn't help but wince in pain.
After a long time…
"Arggg!"
"Why?"As he questioned what was happening with a low and weak voice, Caleb fainted in hellish pain.
"This is only the beginning."
The moment Caleb lost consciousness, a clear voice rang out beside him.
"That's right," a faint voice answered at the opposite of Caleb. "This Caleb guy will reap what he sowed!"
"So, this is Caleb, the man who created all of this mess."
"That's right! He killed billions of people and he even destroyed the continent. Just thinking about it makes me crazy!"
Caleb, who was lying motionless and tightly tied down on the bed doesn't know anything about this. His head and body were covered by weird big chains which were emitting strange auras.
While the two were casually talking, something around the corner flashed a light and a figure of a man appeared.
Suddenly, he shouted, "Why don't we kill him already?!" His loud voice erupted the entire room making the other voices fall silent.
"What's the point of prolonging the inevitable?! Just kill him already!" the furious man added.
There was silence. No one even dared to utter a word, making the loud voice even agitated. "Fucking nonsense!"
"Brainless idiot, why are you causing a ruckus here again?" A woman said in a cold, fierce voice.
"Holden, you want me to do 'that' again to you?" The woman threatened.
Hearing how the woman's voiced her statement and what she has said, Holden fell silent and said, "That.. umm. Sor--sorry, Nora."
"Get lost!" Nora shouted in a cold, cruel voice, which pierced like a cold dagger to the heart of Holden.
'You!! Cursed woman!' These words wanted to come out from Holden's mouth but the woman was too terrifying for him to even say it.
Without replying to Nora, Holden's figure was covered with flashes of light and then disappeared.
"Thanks, Nora.", said Kyou who owned the clear voice.
"That idiot! He only cares about killing this man," the faint voice which belongs to Fryie complained while directing his words to Caleb's unconscious body.
"Fryie, and you Kyou, secure Caleb's body. Don't mess around, we shall make him suffer more, to the point that he will want us to kill him now," said Nora as her voice sounded calm like a sea in contrast to how it sounded to Fryie and Kyou. For them, it was like thousands of knives pointing at their throat, ready to kill them anytime.
"Aye!"
"Yes!"
Fryie and Kyou fearfully replied as they complied to Nora's orders.
"See you later. Tie him up properly." Nora reminded them as her presence vanished like thin air.
"Aiiihhh!"
"Wew!!"
Knowing Nora left the room, Fryie and Kyou sighed in relief.
"Kyou, let's finish this quickly."
"Much better, we will be dead meat if we don't. Haha" Kyou laughed nervously as he carefully observed Caleb's body.
Suddenly Caleb's body was surrounded by fiery red light and faded, leaving nothing behind.
"Let's go!"
"Yes!"
After they finished Nora's order, Fryie and Kyou left the room as well.
Unknown to them, Holden's figure appeared. He never left this place, he just hid his presence and even heard everything. The figure who left a while ago was just a clone he created.
"Just you wait for my revenge, Caleb. For Shona's sake, I will fucking kill you!" Holden's sinister aura leaked out as he let out a roar, making the room trembled.
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